Going Deeper Than Bone
by Hinata245
Summary: In the dried pool of blood lay a man, pale as snow with two red fore-head dots. She isn't a Mary Sue, she's much too vulnerable for that. No, she is just a girl who found a dying man. So why does it seem complicated!
1. Chapter 1

"Leave him. He's useless now." Orochimaru hissed looking down at the bleeding body of his most divoted servant. Kabuto smirked and kicked the fallen man in his side. All the dying man saw was the feet of his master and that filth, Kabuto, walking away.

"Orochimaru-sama..." he croaked reaching out his hand trying to grab at the quickly disappering figure in the distance. His vision started to swim.

"Master has left me for dead. No, I failed him. I do not deserve to serve Orochimaru-sama.  
Maybe I was a fool.  
No.  
He.  
used me... "

A shadow fell across the man.  
"Take me death. I am ready." he whispered.  
"Poor man." a female voice whispered.  
The man jerked slightly as a hand brushed against one of his wounds.  
With that, Kimimaro fell into unconciousness. 


	2. Chapter 2

I had been walking through a meadow when I came upon a clearing, that is when I saw him. He looked like a misplaced angel, laying oh so still. There was a flash of crimson across his side. I knew in my heart before my brain found out, I could not let this beautiful creature die.

"Take me death. I am ready." his voice whispered. Such a pleasent voice, so deep and smooth. What had happened to this man that made him welcome death? "Poor man." I said quietly and lightly touched his bleeding side to check the extent of the damage. He flinched in pain. His eye-lids fluttered closed as he left the concious world.

I sighed. I had been walking through the meadow so I could go home and get some sleep. The man was undoubtably taller than me and there was little to no chance that I could at least drag him, let alone carry him to my cozy little make-shift home. I pulled the 4-person travel sized tent out of my bag, along with a first-aid kit. My eye-lids fluttered in rebelion as I tried to focus on finishing my task.  
'Wounded person first, self later.'

His white shirt was almost completely red by now. Curse my dallying! Poor thing that he was, looked like someone even kicked him in his wound when he was on the ground. (There was a LOT of dirt in the flesh opening.)

I ran to the river and filled a bowl with water to clean the gapping hole in his side. Once all the dirt was removed, I layered in some disinfectant and wrapped his chest as best I could. I wasn't a trained medic, so I wasn't going to try to heal him. And considering I was almost asleep on my feet, the small amount I tried heealing would probably be made worse.

I put up the tent around the man's body and checked that his chest bindings were tight so he wouldn't shift and cause himself pain in his sleep. I pulled a large poofy violet blanket from my pack and tucked it under his chin, grabbing a blue blanket for myself and settleing down on the matt I had found wedged at the bottom of my pack.

"Good-night, Stranger." I whispered and closed my eyes, falling into a deep slumber. 


	3. Chapter 3

For a few brief, wonderful moments, everything around Kimimaro was quiet and calm. Then the pain came, and with it, the recognition of life. Kimimaro could only wonder why the soft-spoken female reaper had passed him over and left him to walk the Earth. His vision came back slowly, he didn't look around until he could focus without everything being fuzzy. The room surrounding him was a nice shade of purple, lighter than Orochimaru's, which he was thankful for.

It took him a few minutes to notice the light breathing to his right. There was a girl in the room aswell. She looked a bit pudgy, not fat, but nicely rounded. She was about 12 to 14 if her facial features were to be trusted. The girl's face was flushed a light pink arcoss her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Her dusty blonde hair was coming undone from the hasty bun that lay at the base of her neck. She looked rather child-like, but peacful in her sleep. For the first time in a long time, Kimimaro was curious.

The girl's eye-lids fluttered a bit and a frown marred her face. One of her hand's flexed and clawed at the ground. She growled, then became still, the frown being replaced by a small smile. Kimimaro tried not thinking about what he had just seen. She had growled, and that brought up quite a few questions. Questions that required the girl being awake to answer, so he tried to go back to sleep, to no avail. 


	4. Chapter 4

I sat up and streched, smiling when several bones popped. The thought of finishing off the last of the berries, hard cheese, and chewy bread in my pack was a desirable one. I turned to check the mysterious man's condition and found that he was awake... and staring at me. I hate it when people stare at me. It's unnerving. Yes I'm fat, kiss my pasty white butt and get over it. I just saved the guy's life and he goes and oogles at me. That shows how greatful he is, don't it?

I offered a smile, although slightly forced. The corners of his lips lifted in response. At least he wasn't a complete butthole. "Um... Hello. I'm Bretanie. I hope you are feeling better this morning." He tried to speak, but his voice came out raspy and I felt like an idiot. "I'm very sorry about that. I didn't even think about how thirsty you would be. Please excuse me." I said then reached into my bag and handed him the canteen. He knodded his head in thanks, then took a few large swallows. With that he returned the canteen and smiled lightly.

"Thank you Miss Bretanie. I owe you my life. I am forever in your debt." he said in that smooth rich tone he used. His green eyes burrowed into my own and for a moment, I couldn't speak.

"It was nothing. I would give help to anyone who needed it." I said giving a huge smile and started to stand up. "Would you like some breakfast now Sir?" I asked in hopes of ending the akward silence that had enveloped the tent. His smile grew a bit wider and he replied, "Yes Miss Bretanie. That would be wonderful. Please, do not call me Sir. My name is Kimimaro, I'm only 15."

I blushed a bright pink and looked away. "It is fine Miss Bretanie. I take no offence from the misunderstanding." he said as if sensing my discomfort. I laughed and smiled weakly saying, "Thank the Lord, because if you did this would be a very akward conversation." With that, I pulled the bread, cheese, and berries from my pack.

"I hope these will be alright, they are all I have at the moment." I said, secretly hoping that he wouldn't throw a fit for some expensive meat or something and handed him his half of the meal. He knodded his head gratefully and swallowed the slightly stale bread, old cheese, and fresh berries with vigor. I giggled a bit when he was done and handed him a chunk of my bread as it appeared that he was still hungry.

I reached for the canteen and noticed that it was almost empty. "I'm going to fill the canteens." I said, pulling another canteen and a flip-knife from the bag and sticking the knife in my bra. I moved the tent-flap and a bit of sun-light filtered into the small space. I smiled and breathed deeply. Today would be a good day, I could tell. 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer- Don't own Naruto, or any characters that connect to it.

'Lady Lucky had taken favor on me, my rescuer was a kind young thing. A bit chatterish, but still nice and filled with energy. Noone I have ever met had this kind of spirit. Then again, it was sort of hard to have spirit in a place where they paid people to break you. Not one single person had a will of their own around Orochimaru except Kabuto, strange how that appeared clearer than before.'

His brain almost stopped when she had asked if her food was acceptable. Someone actually cared what he wanted! That had never happened before. But the girl had saved his life, and she was worried he would reject her food. She seemed a bit strange, but he was gratful. Not many people from his village would help a dying man, whether he was a stranger or a friend. But this girl, she had saved a man she had never even met.

This brought up his honor. He would not let the girl heal him with her recieving nothing in return. He had no problem being a body guard, in fact he had done the job well many times. So being around this girl would not be a problem. He thought of her as an kind soul. She had saved him, and he was honor bound to repay his debt in full. It would be much more fun than being scoffed at by Kabuto and frowned at by Orochimaru.

'She is a bit cute.' he thought to himself and smiled. Ofcourse he would ask permission to act as her protector, but he was confident that she would accept. Bretanie seemed to be a person that wanted to please others. That could lead to problems farther down the road. But he would trust his new mistress, because he owed her, because he needed someone to follow, and because this girl was the first to ever sho him kindness. He wouldn't forget that.

His mistress would be treated with respect and dignity. He would like to care for someone other han himself, and this was the perfect oppurtunity to do just that. 


	6. Chapter 6

'His wound could get infected if not properly treated soon.' I thought as I walked back to the tent from the river. I've often been told that I worry too much. But this was someone else'e life at stake. I would have to find way to get home qickly so that I could get a professional's obdervation. I really hoped Kimimaro-san didn't hate doctors. I slipped back into the tent and handed Kimimaro his canteen. I sat down and started to place all my things into my back when Kimimaro spoke, making me jump.

"I would like to become your body-guard to repay my debt to you." he said with a very serious face. I didn't speak for quite a long time. It was rather shocking. "Are you sure that is what you want?" I asked, all to ready for him to say he had been joking, but he didn't.

"Its not about what I want. Its about what you want." he said smiling slightly. I smiled after thinking it over and stuck out my hand. "I, Bretanie Einjeru Ai, here by accept you as my body-guard and friend." I say smiling and give his hand a slight shake. His bandages are tinged pink. I retract my hand and frown.

"I need to check your wound Kimimaro-kun." I say pulling the first-aid kit from my bag yet again. When I peel the bandage from his skin he flinches, but doesn't complain. The blood has clotted nicley over the wound and there weren't any visible signs of an infection, but the skin around the wound was still a tender, angry red.

"Kimimaro-kun, how in the world did you get this?" I asked quietly, trying not to wonder how much pain he must have been in. I traced the skin just under his injury with my index finger, slowly making invisible circles on his skin and leaving goose bumps to trail my finger-tips. He cleared his throat and stilled my hand. "I was fighting an enemy shinobi m'Lady." He said and looked down at my hand.

He ran his fingers over the top of my hand, his slightly scared digits gliding up and down my own. It felt so strange to be touched like that. It was a simple touch. A curious and innocent inquiry made with his hands.

They say you can learn alot about someone from looking at their hands. His were calloused and scarred, but gentle and strong. Mine were small, pudgy, and marked with blister scars. He skimped his fingers across the small, smooth layer of fat on the very top of my hand. His hands were so much bigger than mine. He took my hand and pressed it to his own. I giggled when he bent his fingers over mine.

My hand looked so small compared to his. It had to be the first time anything made me feel small. That is when I noticed how much bigger than me he really was. He stood about 5 foot 8 and his chest was so wide. His arms were long and sinewy, light scars marring the skin every so often. I realized how right I had been when I thought him an angel. Then he looked into my eyes with that light foamy greenish grey. Eyes had no right to be that sad, that pained.

It hit me full force right then, that I didn't know this boy, this man. I had just met him, and he was so gentle with me. And those eyes, his eyes, were as innocent and sincere as any shinobi's eyes could be. Giving away emotions can be deadly when playing the part of a fighter. Everyone has a choice, but there was something in the way he stood that said he didn't get to make choices on his own very often. For that I weep, because I want to know this man. But before I know him, he needs to know himself, and that is a job all on its own.

I sighed quietly and my eyes shifted to his wound, the life-threatening torn flesh. "We need to find a way to get you to my village. I won't have you dying on me." I said and removed myself from his grasp. "Yes m'Lady." he said and tried to stand without moving his wound too much, which didn't really help. After helping him out of the tent, I stowed everything inside my pack again and started folding the tent. 


	7. Chapter 7

'Her hands, she has such small hands.' I thought as she ran her fingers in patterns over my skin. Never brutally probbing, barely a skimming across the skin. 'The look on her face left me speechless, because she actually cared what happened to me, she was concerned for my well being. That made my decision all the more right. I would serve her, be her slave if she wished it, because I haven't had anyone care for me without thinking of themselves in such a long time.

That seemed like it was the only thing she did, think of me without asking for anything in return. She asked me quietly who had caused the damage in my side. Flashes of black hair and obsidian eyes flashed in my mind. Is stilled her hand so I could focus more clearly on her, instead of thinking about how I had been abandoned, left to die ,alone. 'Enemy Shinobi' would be best to say. I didn't want to scare her by saying the Uchiha clan's survivor.

News of his betrayl reached far and wide, it was hard to find a place people didn't know Sasuke had defected. With the defection came the brutal murders, and that was the last thing he wanted his mistress to think about. She would worry about it, he could tell. If she worried too much, she would go into a fit, then he would be left with a paranoid mistress jumping at every drop of a pen.

'Yes, it was definetly best to be nondescript.' he thought as he tried to stand up with out reopening his side. She helped me get out of the tent, then she began packing up the tent her self. 'When I am healed she will not have to take care of me anymore.' Kimimaro did not like being in a vulnerable state, and his present condition was about as vulnerable as it gets, except for being naked ofcourse, but thats on a whole different plane. 


	8. Chapter 8

Getting Kimimaro to the village would be more difficult than I thought. It was about 2 miles from our current location to the village, but distance wasn't the problem. It started to rain about 20 minutes from the village gates. Kimimaro said it would be unwise to walk too long in thr rain because I might catch a cold. But what I was really thinking about was his side. Cold rain pelting his wound would no doubt making matters worse.

That and I am deathly afraid of lightning. I set up the tent under a cluster of pine trees and crawled into the corner. I wasn't going to let Kimimaro see me shaking like a leaf. I would like to keep some of my dignity thank you. The pattering of rain on the tent was calming and unsettling all at once.

My eyes slide over to Kimimaro, trying to take in all of his features. The deep red circles just above his eyebrows. The crimson lines underneath his eyelids. The unusual way he wore his shirt, and the purple rope tied around his waist. 'Hold UP!!! Purple rope?!' Everyone knew what purple rope meant. This was bad, very very bad.

'I just saved a follower of Orochimaru. They are going to KILL me!' I thought as a huge bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, being clearly visible through the translucent tent material. Yes, this is one of those moments where you stop and think, 'Oh Shiz!'

"Kimimaro-kun?" I said quietly. "Yes m'Lady?" he asked turning fully to face me. "What village are you from?" I tried asking without shivers racking my body. "My birth village was Sound. But I have severed all ties that lead there." he said, his eyes showing recognition. "Oh dear. That could cause a few problems." I said quietly, carefully avoiding his eyes. "You have nothing to fear from me m'Lady. I have sworn on my honor, and I am nothing if not honorable." he said grabbing my hand and running his thumb across my knuckles.

'Does he even know what hes doing? Good Lord, he keeps touching me like... well, like that!' I thought blushing bright red and gently pulling my hand from his. His brow furrowed for a slight second, then his face returned to it's mask. "Is there anyone hunting you?" I asked, trying to prevent my voice from cracking. "No m'Lady. Everyone from my village thinks I am dead, which I deserve to be." he said solemnly.

I got up and slapped him. His facial expression flickered to shock. "Don't you ever say that. Every human life is precious." I said, almost yelling. "You are not worhtless Kimimaro. You are a person, and I will not have you contemplating your death, do your hear me?" I said, I was yelling by then. He gave a weak knodd and looked at the groud in shame.

'Great Bretanie! Just freakin' wonderful! You just yelled your head of as loudly and rudely as you possibly could at an injured man.' my concscience screamed. 'No, he shouldn't have said that about himself. You know I hate it when people do stuff like that.' my pride argued. I grabbed on to my head in an effort to silence the voices and think straight. "Please be quiet." I whispered, the voices just increased their volume. They kept getting louder and louder, my vision started to swim.

There was a reason I didn't get angry often. The voices would feud so loudly that my ear drums almost burst. I leaned against the side of the tent. I was shaking now, the rain was drowned out by screaming. My stomach felt like it was trying to seperate itsself from my body. I fell onto my side and sometime in this entire ordeal, I had begun to whimper. My eyes glazed with unshed tears and I started to cough.

Something warm touched my forehead. The voices slowly got quieter, until finally, everything inside my head was silent. I dried my eyes to see that Kimimaro had placed one hand across my head, the other cradled the base of my neck. My stomach calmed itsself, my head-ache disappeared, and yet he said nothing.

"Thank you." I said quietly, looking away in embarassment as the man I had just slapped took away a great deal of my pain with a touch. "Are you alright m'Lady? What happened?" he asked gently removing his hands and settling my form into a sitting position. "I'm fine. I'd rather not talk about it...please." I replied.

He knodded and stood to check if the rain had stopped. It had and we began our trek to the village. "What is your village like mistress?" he asked leaning on the walking stick I had found for him. The thought of my warm green home-town brought a smile to my face.

"Its very warm there. We will probably have to buy some moisturizer for you considering the climate for my village is much dry than that of Sound's. In the streets everyone smiles at each other and children play games on the sidewalks. The genin at our Academy just participated in the Chunin Exams. We have a lot of plants there, I think we are going to have a surplus in our crops this year. I'm going to buy you a bed and some clothing when we get there. Oh! But before that I'm taking you to the hospital." I said and gave him a huge grin.

We walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence. 


	9. Chapter 9

'M'Lady's episode a while ago threw me off. It was unexpected. Apparently it is a common thing. Mistress's reluctance to talk about it makes me think that it is tramatic for her.' Kimimaro thought to himself. His thoughts started to wonder to her village and the fact that he still did not know which one it was. The hospital thing would also be another issue. If he was recognized, there could be serious consequences for his mistress. Aiding an enemy shinobi was not smiled upon.

He did know that her village was a Hidden village because of the academy part. But it was still very important to know which one it was. It couldn't be the Mist because children played in the streets and people smiled at each other. And it couldn't be Sound, he would have met her already. It wasn't Sand because in her village they grew many crops.

'There were too many villages to count, so it's best just to wait and see.' he reassured himself. 'This hall be interesting.' he thought looking at the girl skipping infront of him. 'Yes. Very interesting indeed.' 


	10. Chapter 10

'When all this is sorted out, I'm going to take a vary long bath. Maybe I'll even use bubblebath. I think there is a bit of strawberry left!' I thought as the gates began to grow larger. The idea of being covered in bubbles was a delightful one, so I started skipping. I do it often, and there would be a guest in my home for a bit, so there was cause for celebration. I don't get many visitors anymore.

We were being entered into the Chunin exams soon. We had to wait to take the test due to the fact that the infamous rookie-nine fiasco was straightened out and a new leader found. Thats around the time okaa-san got sick.

My teacher was Koari-sensei, Gai-sama's sister. 'My team-mates would probably pester poor Kimimaro until the kill. And hes already injured too. Kaito better not try anything stupid. As for Masaru, I just hope he doesn't try assassination.' I pondered, sending out a silent plea to God that neither of my squad-members would interfer with Kimimaro.

Sound ninja have always been unpredictable. Theres no reason for them to stop now. And Kimimaro was anything but understadable. He was an unsolvable mystery. 'I hope he opens up to me after a little while. He needs a friend. And I will try to be the friend he deserves!' I vowed inside my head and mentally pumped a fist in the air.

By the time I had finished the little inside my head rant, we were at the gates. "Ryuu-kun, open the freakin' gate! I know you see me a lot, but I didn't think you'd get sick of me that easily."I yelled up to one of the guards at their posts. Ryuu just laughed and poofed down to us. "Okay Bretanie-chan. Who is this guy, and why is he standing so close to you?" Ryuu asked, laughter practically spewing from his eyes.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Kimimaro beat me to it. "I am Mistress Bretanie's sworn protector. I was unaware of your intent towards her person so I moved into a more favorable position to further my advantage incase you did have malicous thoughts." he said with a slight bow. I noted he still didn't move from his position between myself and Ryuu.

I sighed and put my hand on Kimimaro's shoulder. Ryuu started laughing. "Its alright Kimimaro-kun. This is Ryuu-kun, hes like a brother to me. I trust him, and so can you." I said and pulled Kimimaro out of my path so that I could smack Ryuu on the head. "And you! Its very rude to laugh at the expense of others. Tell him you're sorry." I said, frowning at Ryuu.

"But I don't wa-" he began. "Do it!" I said folding my arms and giving Ryuu a very stern look. "Yes Mother." he said and sloched. "Sorry . I didn't mean to insult you." he grudingly mummbled. I laughed and patted him on the back. "There you go. Let Kimimaro-kun and me inside now idiot. He's hurt." I said pointing at Kimiaro with a worried expression. "Alright. Alright. I'll see you later." Ryuu replied opening the gates.

I turned to Kimimaro and sighed. "Kimimaro-kun. You are going to have to take off your purple rope dealy or you could get us in trouble. You don't have to get rid of it, but you can't wear it around in public." I said reaching towards his belt/rope thing and began to untie it until it was just a long piece of rope I was hoding out towards him. He knodded and took it from my hand, his fingers trailed across my palm.

We headed towards the hospital. Hopefully Lady Tsunade was still available. She rarely went to the hospital since she had accepted Miss Sakura as her apprentice. The receptionist smiled when I came in, until she saw Kimimaro. "Hello Sayuri-chan . This is Kimimaro-kun. He is wounded and I need a supervisor to watch me heal again. Is anyone open at the moment?" I asked hopefully. She knodded her head yes and gave Kimimaro a skeptical look.

"Actually Suzu-chan will be done healing her patient soon. I bet she would be happy to watch you heal. She has been wanting to see how you have progressed. You two just sit down and she'll be out soon." she said and smiled at me. I sat down on a very squeaky fake leather chair and began to wiggle around.

"What are you doing?" Kimimaro asked about five minutes after a continued chorus of squeaking. "I'm making a song with my butt. I like to see if I can make an actually melody that is inside of a certain frequency range. Its really fun." I said twisting around in my seat and getting a high note. Kimimaro quirked an eyebrow and the ends of his lips lifted ever so slightly.

Just then the doors to the ER opened and Suzu-sensei grabbed me in a bone-crushing hug. "Complexion turning... purple. Need... air." I said gasping and felt a had rench me away from my medical trainer. "Thanks Kimimaro-kun." I said and gave him a smile before turning back to Suzu-sensei. "Suzu-sensei, I need you to supervise me while I heal Kimimaro-kun." I said solemnly. She knodded and I pulled Kimimaro into a nearby roomfilled with beds and seperation curtains.

"Just lay down on that bed and I'll write down what needs to be treated." Suzu-sensei said grabbing a clip-board. "We probably have to do a body scan. Isortoffoundhimbleedingtodeathontheground." I said quickly, hoping she wouldn't ask me to repeat what I said. "What was that?" 'Damn' "When I foud Kimimaro-kun, he was bleeding to death in a feild. There was bunches of dirt and stuff in the opening and around the mouth of the wound. I poured it down and wiped it out with disinfectant just like you taught me." I said proudly.

"You may have saved him from a major germ-inflicted problem. And don't think you got out of discussing this with me later." she said unwrapping the cloth from his chest. I slouched over. "Now do a full body scan. I'll do one after you and make sure you didn't miss anything." she said. I knodded and placed my hands on his chest. 


	11. Chapter 11

To: A'isha Ishtar

Omamac and cheese! Somebody actually reviewed! Even better, you gave me advice and didn't flame. I'll try to make my chapters longer. I also recommend reading my story "The Beginning of 100" if you like Sakura/anybody. Not trying to push you or anything, just a suggestion. Thanks for helping! :)

'Insufferable man.' Kimaro thought as he and Bretanie walked away from Ryuu. The secretary at the front desk didn't look too pleased to see him. Her eyes kept darting form Mistress to me. That is, until m'Lady explained I was injured. Her facial features calmed and her shoulders relaxed. She still retained a bit of her untrusting demeaner all the while her and m'Lady spoke to each other.

Mistress began squirming around in her chair. That is how I found out m'Lady was rather unusual. A woman burst through a set of doors and crushed m'Lady to her person. Mistress stated she could barely breathe, so I removed her from the dispicable woman's grip. After their discussion I was pulled into a waiting-room. The annoying woman began to remove the bandages from my injury. The dried blood stuck to the bandage and I refused to look down. It would surely look worse than it felt. Mistress was told to scan my body, what ever that meant. She placed her hands on my chest and her chakra flooded into my system. It felt euphoric. It was the most blissful thing I had ever experienced, until she let out a gasp and pulled her hands back like she had been burned.

(Bretanie's Point of view)

"Suzu-sensei. Please look at him and tell me I'm wrong. Please." I said quietly and backed away. She looked at me with concern and put down her clipboard. She placed her hands onto his chest and let her chakra roam around his system. She frowned and slowly pulled her hands from Kimimaro's chest.

Suzu looked at me and hugged me tightly, not with excitement, but with motherly concern. "Please get Hokage-sama. I don't care if you have to buy her alcohol. Please, just get her." I whispered frantically. Suzu let go of me and poofed off to the Hokage Tower.

"Just like Momma." I whispered quiety and sat down on the end of Kimimaro's bed. "What is it m'Lady?" Kimimaro asked as he sat up and pulled me to him. I began to cry. Too soon. It was just too soon. "What is wrong m'Lady? Are you injured?" he asked, his voice flooded with concern.

I shook my head and looked blindly at the floor, tears blurring my vision. "No Kimiaro-kun. You're the one thats hurt." I said sobbed and turned into his chest. He sat ridged before wrapping his arms around me in an unsure way. Someone poofed into the room.

I turned my head to see that Suzu-sensei had infact gotten the Hokage to come. Here I was sitting in the patient's lap. If I hadn't been crying my eyes out I might hsve been embaressed. Tsunade-sama just smiled sadly at me and gently pulled me off of Kimimaro. I automatically clamped onto Suzu-sensei and kept balling.

"We will discuss why you know a Sound ninja later." she said before placing her hands on Kimimaro's chest and finding the problem imediately. "Shit. I'm going to need lots of sake after this is over." she said standing at full height. "You can help him can't you?" Suzu asked as she looked down at my still blubbering form.

"The only reason we couldn't do anything last time is because we were unprepared. Now we know what this thing can do and we know how to treat it. Heck, we even know how to stop it from spreading. Honey, if I do this right he'll feel better than he has in a long time." she said and aimed the last part at me.

I finally stepped away from Suzu-sensei and bowed to Tsunade while wipping my eyes. "I will never be able to repay you Hokage-sama." I walked around the bed and took Kimimaro's hand in mine. Tsunade smirked a bit and looked at Kimimaro."You've got a keeper there kid. Don't screw it up." "But, we... we're not... we don't" I stuttered and blushed. She just gave a laugh then turned all of her attention to Kimimaro.

"This is going to be amazingly painful. We can't give you any pain medication because it clashes with the treatment. Just remember that the pain will end soon. Don't let go of Bretanie's hand." she said and made what looked to be a very deep cut into his chest. He didn't even blink.

She plugged him up to a machine that would breathe for him, then she set to work. She pulled out bowl after bowl of dead tissue and disease. Suzu kept leaving every-so-often to gather more containers and water for the disease. Everything coming out of him was fowl looking. Tsunade coerced huge lumps of black sludge from his chest. Noone should have to live with something like that inside of them.

I felt tears race down my checks, but I made no sound. He had to walk around with disease eating him alive. Yet he was still a ninja. This wasn't a fast acting disease. This took months, even years to kill. But before, there was no cure. There was no hope of survival then, but now there was hope. 


	12. Chapter 12

THANKINGNESSES: A'isha Ishtar, Miorochi, and Esuslol

Thank you all so very much!!! I am so happy that people finally noticed that this story was posted. I'm just really happy that I kept posting! Thankyou all so much again.

If you want your name in the next chapter you will review, or comment, or favorite. PLEASE!!!

Kimimaro turned his head towards me and gave my hand a squeeze. I smiled and squeezed back. Soon afterwards Tsunade slumped forward and healed the small incision she had mad in his skin. It was done, just like that. Tsunade swayed on her feet and Suzu-sensei and I grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. She smiled at me and ruffled my hair.

"Tell Shizune that I'm taking the rest of the day off. I'll come by your house later and see how he's feeling Bretanie." she said and poofed away. Suzu turned to us and said,"Well. I think you can explain tomarrow. Good night." She stepped out of the room.

I jumped on Kimimaro and hugged him. "I'm so very happy." I said and started skipping around the room. "What did she do and why can I breathe properly now m'Lady?" Kimimaro asked slowly getting off of the bed. "You had Tuberculosis." I said and frowned a bit. "What?" he asked.

"Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria whose scientific name is Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It most commonly affects the lungs but also can involve almost any organ of the body. This disease is referred to as "consumption" because without effective treatment, the patient often wastes away." I said as if reading from a textbook. "A look of disgust crossed Kimimaro's face as he looked inside on of the clear containers and saw black porridge like filth.

Kimimaro's Point of View:  
I felt sore as we exited the hospital. But my breathing was so much easier. I could move without gasping. Things felt so different, so much gentler. Mistress had what I think Kabuto would call an 'emotional breakdown', Orochimaru had them all of the time. It was cold out tonight.  
Mistress pulled my shirt sleeve back onto my shoulder saying I might catch a cold. I had the strangest urge to argue seeing as she was wearing a knee-length sundress, but I stayed silent. Mistress had really shown compassion when she had detected the disease in my lungs. I've only known her for a few days, I wonder why she cared so much?

Bretanie:

The door to my house creaked open and fresh air rushed into the room. "Okay, the door to the left is my room. The room across from that can be your room. The room at the end of the hall on the left is the bathroom. Around the corner on the right there is the livingroom, and the kitchen. Around the corner on the left is the bathroom and the storage closet." I said and quietly shut the door after him.  
He knodded and moved to his room. I looked at the door right next to mine and tears started to form in my eyes. I would tell him later, when I was ready. After all, I had only met him yesterday. 


	13. Chapter 13

Thankyou:Aisha Ishtar, Miorochi, and Esuslol

To Esuslol: I am really sorry about the length of the chapters. I really really am, but I'm using WordPad right now and it makes the chapters seem FAR longer than they actually are. The reason Bretanie isn't effected by Kimimaro's behavior and lack of dress is because no one ever gave her THE TALK, so she really doesn't know she should be embarrassed. There is a reason why no one ever gave her THE TALK, as well as why neither of her parents have appeared yet. It will all unfold in due time. Thanks for noticing that. I didn't know if anyone would.

(STORY CONTINUES)

"Bretanie. How did you meet Kaguya Kimimaro?" Tsunade asked taking a generous gulp of her beverage of choice. "He was heavily injured in a meadow. He was laying in a pool of his own blood when I got to him." I said looking her in the eye, and trying to ignore the stares of the Council members that were sitting in the large seats behind a behemtoh table.

She knodded and tried to continue, but was interupted by a council member. "Why did you offer help to a stranger? An enemy shinobi at that!" the man shouted standing/hunching from his chair. "I am training under Hokage-sama, Sakura-san, Suzu-sensei, and Kaori-sensei to become a medic nin. Medics take an oath to help any injured person, regardless of name, age, gender, ancestry, or home village. Noone is an exception to this rule." I replied looking calmly at the man who looked embaressed for a moment before sitting down.

"You've taken the oath, but I asume you knew from which village he came because of his attire he usually wears. Surely you could have ignored the oath when you were by yourself where no one would see? You did not have to heal a person from the infamous Sound Village. Why did you?" Tsunade asked looking at me questioningly. "Because I made a promise not only as a medic, but also to my deceased kin that I would save as many and end as few lives as possible in my time as a kunochi." I replied.

"Why did you not heal him yourself instead of bringing him here?" an old woman of the coucil asked curiously, with a grandmother-like smile. "I am only at the beginning of my training. It was most likely that any wound I tried to heal would be damaged further. I just helped as much as I could with the basics. I did what I thought would be enough until we reached the hospital." I said, keeping my emotional mask on. The woman knodded.

"Where you informed of the location of any of Sound's shinobi?" Tsunade asked. "No Hokage-sama. Kimimaro-kun seems to have severed all ties to his mother-village, thou I am not certain." I said. "KUN!? Why do you speak of him so familiarly? I will not have a kunochi disgrace the village of Konoha!" another coucil member, Matsoru, yelled hopping to his feet.(As fast as an 87 year old can hop that is.)

Tsunade cleared her throat. "If you would kindly sit down Matsoru-san, I will explain." He sat. "Bretanie is the type of person that generates a warm and calming aura that relaxes others around her. It is very simple to become friends with a person of this caliber. This helps her not only as a teenager, but as a shinobi. What better way to get information without violence than to sooth the words from the enemy? Bretanie has helped on two information retrieving missions, posing as someone's daughter, or as the wife in an arranged marriage. If you really want to be specific, the missions were A-rank. She retrieved information that involved a large-scale attack on Kohona." Tsunade said and smiled proudly.

Matsoru sat down meekly. 'Take that ya old bag you!' I silently cheered inside my head. Tsunade said the meeting was over and that Kimimaro was to be sent in next. I knodded, bowed to Tsunade and the council members, and left the room wearing a small grin.

Kimimaro's P.O.V.

Kimimaro was subjected to a much more... forceful questioning by the village's best, Morino Ibiki, with Anko close at hand. Tsunade was ever present in the room incase of injury. Kimimaro gave vital Sound infromation freely. By the end of the interigation Ibiki didn't know weither to be pleased by the amount of information they had gained, or angered by the fact that he didn't get to rip off one of Kimimaro's limbs. Needless to say, Tsunade was happy that yet another of her students had successfully taken a powerful shinobi from Sound's clutches. Kimimaro was put under the watch of ANBU and was to remain in Bretanie's house as her responsibility.(Which had began an hour long arguement.) Kimimaro would begin at chunin level on team 5 which had recently lost one of its memebers on a mission.

(P.S. I am not sure if I got Kimimaro's last name is right, but hey, its there.  
Send me a review, or favorite me, or something...PLEASE!!! 


	14. Chapter 14

Thankyou:Aisha Ishtar, Miorochi, and Esuslol You don't have to be a member to review or leave a comment. Please do!

Tsunade handed Kimimaro the information sheet on his team members.

TEAM 5

SENSEI

HITO SUZUME SEX - MALE AGE - 26 HEIGHT - 6 FEET 4 INCHES WEIGHT - 153 POUNDS 2 OUNCES HOME VILLAGE - KOHANA

TEAM MEMBER

Shinro Taiki SEX - MALE AGE - 13 HEIGHT - 5 FEET 10 INCHES WEIGHT - 139 POUNDS 7 OUNCES HOME VILLAGE - KOHANA

TEAM MEMBER

Nako Reana SEX - FEMALE AGE - 13 HEIGHT - 5 FEET 2 INCHES WEIGHT - 128 POUNDS 4 OUNCES HOME VILLAGE - KOHANA

'It seems that I shall be easily accepted into this village.' Kimimaro thought as he walked out back to the bench where Bretanie had been told to wait. "Are you okay? You're not hurt are you? Ibiki can be abit... violent." Bretanie said quickly and inspected my person thoroughly until she was content to with the lack of injuries. I shook my head and followed her to my new home. A place that was safe...quiet even. I would have my own room. I wouldn't be alone anymore. Well, I was never really alone to begin with. I was always trying to impress Orochimaru. What time I have wasted. The house is oddly silent. I get the feeling that something is missing here.

The next chapter is WAY longer, so make sure you read that one too before you review about how short this one is.


	15. Chapter 15

Thankyou:Aisha Ishtar, Miorochi, and Esuslol You don't have to be a member to review or leave a comment. Please do!

I quietly left my bed and headed to the kitchen for some water. It was 2 in the morning and another nightmare had pulled me from slumber. The nightmares are becoming more frequent, darker in content and heavier with blood. I still smell a coppery ting when I sit up from my bed. The voices inside my head and the nightmares seem connected somehow. I know it shouldn't, but this frightens me more than anyone will ever know.

The moon shines clearly through the kitchen window as I sit in the dark, sipping my water. Kimimaro's door creaks open and he silently makes his way to me. Never has he seemed more etheral than in this moment. I truely believe he is the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen.

"You were screaming in your sleep." he says quietly. It wasn't a question. "Yes." He sighs and sits in the chair beside me. "You were afraid." Once again it wasn't a question. "Yes." "What were you afraid of?" he asks, slowly moving closer and placing his chin atop my head. And for some reason, when he asks I can't remember. And I guess thats okay. If I can't remember, I can't be frightened. Or I shouldn't be atleast.

I shrug slightly, because now I truely can not think of a reason to be scared. Kimimaro makes me feel safe and I have no idea why. I like feeling safe, I haven't in such a long time. "It makes me feel invincible." I said, thinking out loud. "What?" he asked.  
"Having a friend like you." I say quietly, because I don't know what this feeling could be besides friend-ship. He seems happy when I say this, as if he has never had a friend before. 'Maybe he hasn't.' the voice of intellect whispers inside me.

We sit like that in my kitchen for a long time. He doesn't move, and I don't ask him to. The night is silent. But silence never lasts. "Do you have a Dream Kimimaro? Something you wish to achieve more than anything else?" I ask.

For a long time he doesn't do anything. "I do actually. It seems to have changed recenly tho. But I will strive to achieve it, even if I die in the process." he said.  
"What is it?" I ask meakly. He doesn't answer. I pat his hand and smile at him.

The tips of his mouth raise abit, but he still doesn't answer. I have a thing for breaking silences, so I speak. "Sometimes people have the oddest goals, you know? I want to be a traveling medic when I finish my training. I want to help as many people as I can. Kohana has so many medic already, so I think I'll travel around to non-shinobi villages instead of the hidden ones." I can't really tell, but I think Kimimaro almost laughs at this. I pout abit. Then I remember that he probably can't see it anyway and pout some more.

"Sometimes you remind me of a child, with all of your playfulness and smiling." he says near my ear. I frown. "But sometimes, you remind me of an old lady, nagging about the world in general and bossing other people around." he says with mirth. I have never come so close to strangling someone in my life. "But the rest of the time, you make me feel like I'm cared for and that I am important to someone. The people in these villages, shinobi or not, will benifit from speaking to and being near you. Your goal is an unselfish one, very much unlike the goals of others." he finishes.

"Is your goal selfish?" I ask yawning. "Yes." he says as I slip into slumber. "You deserve to be selfish sometimes, Kimimaro." I whispered, barely staying concious. "So do you Bretanie-chan. Now sleep peacefully." he whispered. And I did.


	16. Chapter 16

Lovelynesseses of Thanking to: A'isha Ishtar, Miorochi, Esuslol, 21, Kioki Kuraikawa, Kimimaro-Kun, Sakurakaguya, flamegirl5500, and achildwithbloodstaineddagger.

A'isha-chan: Thankies for the long and enthusiastic review. I always get so happy when somebody reviews. It means that they didn't click my story by accident. I hope the Kimimaro/OC story of yours is out soon! :) Thanks for the support.

You don't have to be a member to review. So please for the love of whatever you believe in...REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bretanie woke early and began to prepare a breakfast for Kimimaro. She usually wasn't a morning person, but this was a big day for Kimimaro. Meeting your sensei was a very important step to being accepted into the ranks of a village. Bretanie rushed about the kitchen, breaking open eggs and burning herself on a rice pot.

"Holy Shnitzle" Bretanie said as she pulled her hand away from the pot. Kimimaro appeared beside her, grasping her arm loosely and examining her hand. "Are you injured severly?" he asked. "Just a bit of a burn. Your food will be ready in a few miutes. Don't forget to brush your teeth and wash you face before we leave." she said before healing herself.

Again Kimimaro was suprised that someone would think enough of him to care that much. The only person who had cooked for him was Kabuto, and that had been at the worst times in his illness. Bretanie turned back to her cooking and missed the slight upturn of Kimimaro's lips. His little mistress was rather entertaining. He couldn't understand her kindness.

He went to the bathroom and did as she asked. Kimimaro wasn't nervous about meeting his team. He didn't really know how to be. He had always had an 'if it must be done then it must be done' attitude. That is what made him such a proficient shinobi. His mistress seemed quite excited about this event.

He had almost laughed when he crept into the kitchen and saw Bretanie running around like she was in a marathon. Kimimaro was pleased that he could make his mistress happy. Not for the first time did he notice the silence of the house and the unknown feeling that something was missing there.

He let it slip from his mind as sat back down and began to quietly eat breakfast. A messenger appeared at the front door holding a scroll saying to meet Kimimaro's team at training field 2. Bretanie was welcome to attend incase something went wrong with Kimimaro after meeting his team.

The trip to the field was easy and Kimimaro was happy that his mistress seemed to keep up with him easily. Kimimaro's sensei was slightly bigger than the average shinobi. 153 pounds wasn't the model weight of a male ninja of 26, but it seemed he would never loose the pounds he gained from going under cover as a civilian a few years back.

Hito Suzume was wary of his new student. The Hokage accidentally let it slip that he was a former Sound nin. Hito wouldn't be going easy on him because he was a rookie. He shook his brown head in thought. Kohana was a big place and it was very unlikely that you could meet everyone that inhabitated it.

The girl that came with his new charge was seen quite alot around the hospital and people that hold power. She was a slightly pudgy girl for a shinobi, but she had a happy face and smiling eyes that would lead to instant trust. She seemed like a nice girl, so Hito hoped that his new student followed her example.

Shinro huffed. Akihito dies and this guy thinks that he can just walk right in and replace him! Plus he shows up with a girl. What kind of weakling needs emotional support when meeting their sensei. Shinro could barely keep himself from yelling at the injustice of it all.

Reana was strangely quiet. This boy was one of the most beautiful that she had ever seen. It looked like she was going to have to pull out all the stops for this one. She gazed at him in that predatory way and flicked her bleach blonde hair behind her shoulder.

Kimimaro didn't even look her way. His eyes were focused soley on Hito-sensei. He bowed deeply. "Hello Hito-sensei. I am Kimimaro Kaguya. I would be most appreciative if you would teach me." he said while still bowing. Reana shivered in delight. He has manners too! This little prize would be sweet.

Hito smiled a bit. "You seem like a good kid. I won't take it easy on you tho. I've gotten a few tips from Kakashi Hitake recently so my teaching should be better than ever. Be prepared to work tomarrow Kimimaro. Today you can go buy some necessary supplies." he said bowing back.

Kimimaro nodded and almost smiled. "Thankyou very much Suzume-sama. It means alot to Kimimaro to be able to learn under a Kohana shinobi such as yourself." Bretanie said smiling. "Who are you?" Reana asked smiling (snarling on the inside). "I'm Bretanie Tsukiko. Kimimaro is staying with me at the moment." Bretanie said bowing a bit towards Reana.

Reana giggled a bit in her high-pitched fake way. Her blood was boiling. Her dare this COW stay in the same breathing space as Kimimaro-kun! The ugly little witch would have to be taken care of immediately.


	17. Chapter 17

Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. I liked that, it is not mine.

Whoever said it was really smart. I appreciate you guys. I really do.

Every single one of you that reads at least one of my stories lets me know that I'm not just a waste of space with a pudgy tummy and blonde hair. I love you. I may not know your name, so please leave me a message so that I can say that I do infact, feel I have worth because of you.

The People that I know that I admire are:A'isha Ishtar, Miorochi,Esuslol, 21,Kioki Kuraikawa, Kimimaro-Kun, Sakurakaguya, Panvsboxerboy125 (), flamegirl5500, eclipse ze lunachic, achildwithbloodstaineddagger, Ducky'sgirl4ever, scrockangel, and LittleBloodyJ. Your reviews are going to get me thorugh my lonely Valentine's Day this year guys. So please (desperate much) send me a review.

Tsunade sighed. The boy was going to be the end of her. He hadn't slipped up once. Infact, his sensei seemed pleased at the level the child worked. The village elders were annoying the ANBU by forcing them to waste time watching Kimimaro when there were easily a million other more threatening things that they could be doing.

Bretanie, bless the child, watched over him like a mother hen. She scared the living day-lights out of the second generation rabid-fangirls. (Spawns of the rabid Sasuke fangirls. The majority of previously mentioned Sasuke fanatics became teenage mothers...figure that one out.) She put the villagers at peace with her presence beside him.

There were many fights that were stopped before they had begun because of a child-like smile and some unintentionally innocent words from said adorable little girl (Tsuande would make a good mommy.

--------------Bretanie's P.O.V.--------------------------------------

"Kimimaro-kun, we have to buy you some new clothing." I said pulling on my ninja sandals as we got ready to leave the shoe store. "It would feel rather dirty if I wore the same outfit everyday, wouldn't it?" Kimimaro said in a very un-Kimimaroish fashion. Bretanie laughed and graped his hand, gently leading him to the cash register, then out the door.

She looked down at their joint hands thoughtfully for a moment. She didn't know why, but she felt like smiling. 'It seems Kimimaro has a way of making me happy without realizing it. I wonder why.' she thought as the went looking for the weapon shop.

-----------Kimimaro's P.O.V.----------------------------------------

He stood next to Bretanie silently as she went through racks and stacks and piles of clothing items. No matter how much it annoyed Bretanie, purple and black looked right on Kimimaro. She found him a few fish net shirts, a handful of yin and yang shirts, some purple tanks and varying types of pants.

Kimimaro went through the weapons store, carefully choosing enough of the things that he really needed that wouldn't completely use all of his aloted amount of cash. His mistress picked up a blade and gently swung it in a arch. Kimimaro could not remember seeing anything so beautiful before.

"Don't cut yourself child." the elderly shop assistant said with a slight smile. Kimimaro almost laughed at her blush as she quickly but carefully placed the weapon back into it's proper position.

Kimimaro felt so strange. He usually didn't FEEL anything. Well, emotionally anyway. He had felt hunger and thirst and the ache of the body. But this was different. It took Kimimaro a minute to decide that this different was good. As Bretanie cajoled him out of the store, he couldn't help but smile. His life was changing, and he liked it.


	18. Chapter 18

Bretanie yawned as she led Kimimaro back home after a hard day. She unlocked the door and headed straight for the kitchen so that she could cook. "Go get in the tub Kimimaru-kun. Dinner will be done by the time you're finished." Bretanie said as she filled a pot full of water and began to grab frood stuffs from all around the kitchen.

Kimimaru headed for the bathroom. "DON'T FORGET TO USE THE SOAP I BOUGHT YOU!", he heard Bretanie yell. Kimimaro almost laughed. He may not be the brightest crayon in the box but even he knew bathing usually required soap. As he slipped into the tub, he began to think about his day.

Hito-sensei was a wonderful teacher. Her tired to explain everything as much as possible, but he also had the nasty habit of going into a daze suddenly. By the end of the day, Kimimaro was convinced Hito-sensei was going to die one day from lack of focus. Taiki was anything but polite. In sparing he aimed to maim. Kimimaro decided that he just might be a magnet for people with agression problems. Then there was Reana.

She just wouldn't go away. She spoke to him constantly, but never actually listened to what he said. Kimimaro had never known anyone so curious in his life. She kept asking questions and blinking in rapid succession. In fact, Kimimaro now wondered if she had some special medical problem he should know about. Just then the Bretanie knocked on the door.

"Its ready. Hurry before it gets cold.", she said. Kimimaro quickly washed, rinsed, and dressed. When he walked into the kitchen, Bretanie was setting the table and heeping pasta onto what appeared to be his plate. He almost laughed.

"M'Lady. I couldn't possibly eat all of that.", he tried to explain. Bretanie pouted.

--------Bretanie's P.O.V,--------

"But...Kimimaro-kun...you're so thin. I will not have you malnourished. Now you sit your skinny little bottom down and eat.", I said. He slowly sat down and began to eat. '_He looks kindof embaressed. Oh crap. I just insulted him, didn't I?_ ' I gave him a smile. "And besides, I made enough of this stuff to feed everyone from here to Suna." He gave a small smile.

We finished dinner and I grabbed a book and sat on the couch to read it. "What is it that you are reading, M'Lady?", Kimimaro said next to my ear, effectively scaring the holy freaking crap out of me. Way to go mad-ninja-skills, way to go.

"Sabriel by Garth Nixx. Do you like to read Kimimaro-kun?" He gave a half smile. I am not very proficeint with reading and writing M'Lady." Kimimaro explained.

I huffed. "Well, thats the most horrible thing I've ever heard. The ability to read and write is a thing that can bring joy and delight. Why in the world would he do that?" I asked, trying as hard as I could to control my anger. "It was not something my old master thought was important for me to learn. I was taught a very simple written vocabulary, although my speech has improved far more than the majority of my peers." Kimimaro said.

I thought on it for a bit before asking him,"Would you like me to teach you more?" "If it would please you M'Lady." he said. "Actually, it would please me very much." I said and gave him a smile. "Then shall we begin M'Lady?", he said. I really had to get him to stop saying that. He smiled,"M'Lady?" _'Eh, maybe later.' _

_So, Kimimaro can't read or write very well. I said his abilities were limited. He can read and write simple things. And now, not only is Bretanie Kimimaro's Mistress (sans sex) she is also his literary sensei. What more is to come. Do I know. Not in detail, but we'll both find out eventually I guess. And I hope we'll have a hell of a time doing it. Someone's birthday is coming. I wonder who will show up. High Fructose Corn Syrup...AHHHHHHH!!!!!_


	19. Chapter 19

Tankyou to: LOve and huggles to: A'isha Ishtar , LittleBloodyJ, Miorochi, Esuslol, 21, Kioki Kuraikawa, Kimimaro-Kun, DaRk-SnOw-FlOwEr24, Sakurakaguya, scrockangel, flamegirl5500, Torry-Riddle, Ducky'sgirl4ever, eclipse ze lunachic, achildwithbloodstaineddagger, Panvsboxerboy125, and Annihilator Charged

It's 12:04 on July 11, 2010. I'm up this late(early?) just for you guys. Enjoy!

Hello after...way too long *dodges flying stiletos and liquor granades* Sorry its been so long! Here it is. I don't want to die today. Please review so you can keep Kimimaro and Bretanie together. Or do you want Kimimaro to waste away all alone. If you don't,well...REVIEW!

Bretanie smiled as she watched Kimimaro studied the words she had written. His gaze was steady and he copied the words carefully onto his own sheet of paper. He reminded Bretanie of the children still in the Academy. They were so eager to learn, mostly. "What does this word mean, M'Lady?", Kimimaro said, interrupting her musings.

"Configuration means how something is set up. What do you think the root word for configuration is Kimimaro?", Bretanie asked giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. Their afternoons went on like this for a few weeks until Kimimaro was to be sent on a mission.

"Becareful Kimimaro. You were only healed a little while ago. Watch your back on this mission, okay?", Bretanie said as she wrapped scarf around his neck. "Yes M'Lady. You should be on guard aswell", Kimimaro replied as he pulled his pack onto his shoulders.

Reana huffed and gave a fake smile,"We have to get going Kimimaro-kun!" Hito laughed and held up a hand. "Wait a minute Reana. Let Kimimaro say fairwell to his lady-friend" Reana flushed red, from anger not embaressment. 'Even Hito-sensei is against me. Why would he keep us apart? Fortunately, I have the entire mission to turn Kimimaro-kun to my side', Reana thought with a hidden evil grin.

Bretanie gave Kimimaro a pat on the back and Kimimaro froze. He wrapped his arms around Bretanie and put his head near her ear. With a whispered,"Be safe.", he was gone with his team. Bretanie couldn't shake the feeling that there was something left undone.

'Oh well. I suppose I'll figure out what it is later', she thought to herself as she made her way to the hospital to watch Sakura-san and Tsunade-san heal.

Kimimaro's P.O.V.-

'I hope M'Lady doesn't get into any trouble while I'm gone', Kimimaro thought to himself as he followed Hito-sensei. Behind him, Shinro mummbled angrily to himself and Reana tried to keep up with Kimimaro. 'I wonder why Reana-san keeps smiling at me', Kimimaro pondered as Hito lead them deep into the forest that went directly to thier destination.

Hito-sensei explained that they were sent to protect a hime from Rock(I forget it's actually name so bare with me here). 'I hope she isn't like the rest of the people I know from Rock', Kimimaro was pulled out of his thoughts as Reana tugged on his sleeve and ontinued to speak very quickly in a voice that was slowly causing a headache for Kimimaro.

Kimimaro tried to detach himself from his female team-mate, but she stuck like a leech. Kimimaro sighed and really wished he was studing grammar with his Mistress instead.

Reana's P.O.V.-

"I really like your shirt Kimimaro-kun", I said happily. He didn't say anything. That's okay, because I like it when they play hard to get. "Your hair is the prettiest color Kimimaro-kun", I said. Still nothing. I guess its time for a little phsyical contact. Sexily drape yourself on him. Check. Compliment him using his name. Check. Give him peeks at your body. I know what I'm doing tonight.

Shinro kept babbling as he lagged behind. It was seriously annoying. 'I know his best friend just died, but get over it. He wasn't even hot. I guess that doesn't matter to Shinro, then again I think he might be a homosexual. That's why hes never hit on me.

Its a pity. He has nice abs. And his teeth are so white. And his pants just sag enough to give me a glimpse of his pelvic bone. Yum. But I bet Kimimaro looks way better under those pants. Stop drooling girl. Get it in gear and pay attention!' Reana thought to herself.

She almost ran into a tree when Kimimaro stopped walking as Hito-sensei began to make camp. "Suzume-sensei! I forgot my tent. Can I share with somebody?", I asked as I pretended to look for my tent, which was rolled tightly inside of my pack.

"I suppose. Who do you want to bunk with?" Hito, trying to keep his laughs of amusement down. Reana hadd making googly eyes at Kimimaro all day. He hadn't noticed ofcourse, but Reana had always managed to get under a boy's skin. Hito didn't know that she got under more than thier skin.

"Kimiaro-kun. Can I bunk with you?", I asked with a sultry(really now?)smile. He gave a stiff nod and I beamed. In a few hours he would be in lovw tih me and I would have him in the palm of my beautiful hand.

*Oh noes! Kimimaro is being targeted by a whore and Bretanie can't save him. Who will help him. Is it you? It will be if you review.*


	20. Chapter 20

Much love to: A'isha Ishtar, Cster,Sky-Pirate Theive, Twilight Gleek, Miorochi,Esuslol, GrimmyGrimm666, 21,Kioki Kuraikawa, Kimimaro-Kun, Sakurakaguya, I'mAzombeRAWR, WaffleNinja44904, Panvsboxerboy125 (), flamegirl5500, eclipse ze lunachic, achildwithbloodstaineddagger, Ducky'sgirl4ever, scrockangel, and LittleBloodyJ. Sorry for the delay.

-Kimimaro's P.O.V-

I set up the tent for the night as Hiot-sensei strated his turn at watching over the camp. Reana sat there looking bored as she watched me. I had no idea why, but her stare distrubed me very much. Odd. I crawled into the tent and sat my things on my side and crawled onto my pallet.

Reana quickly followed and even though the tent was unusually large, she laid her bed not far from mine. I shook off the strange feeling and tried to sleep. After what must have been hours, I gave up. If I were back with Bretanie, we would have just finished our reading lesson.

A picture of her face sprang to the fore-front of my mind. I began to feel a slight burning in mys chest and wondered if this is what it meant to mis someone. I had never felt this way when HE had left me alone, even as a child.

My thoughts were interrupted by an arm sliding it's way around my waist, which was still very thin from my former days of malnutrition. I grasped the arm and gently placed it on Reana's stomach. I have known people who try to hold others in their sleep. Kabuto did this often.

Once again her arm waund it's way around me. I was almost certain that Reana-chan was not asleep. Her breathing was not that of the dreaming. When I turned once again to replace her limb, Reana was smiling at me. "You feel so cold Kimiaro-kun. Can I warm you up?", she asked, giving a lusty grin. I sighed in annoyance.

"I am not cold Reana-chan.",I said as he turned back around to go to sleep. Reana pouted. "But Kimiaro-kun, I want to!", she whined. "We do not always get what we want." I said, repeating what Bretanie had said to one of her friends when they were displeased.

I heard her get up and stomp out of the tent. The world went black and I entered the gentle blackness of sleep.

-Bretanie's P.O.V.-

I am very worried about Kimiaro, but Hito-sensei appeared very capable and everyone on the team seems nice. I tried to settle my worry as I began the Saturday job. Cleaning...ewww. I was just about to put away the instruments of torture a.k.a. cleaning supplies, when I saw that the door to THE ROOM was open. Strange, considering noone had been here to open it. I put my hand on the knob to shut it, when a draft pushed it open further.

I saw the room in all of it's dusty, unused glory and I felt ashamed. Momma would have hated to see her room in such a state. I covered my face with my sleeve and opened all of the windows to let it air our for a bit. I hadn't been in here for almost five years. Not since the sickness had taken her from me.

I was suddenly filled with the oddest urge to sob. A gentle wind carressed my cheek and I wiped my eyes and began to clean. Underneath all of the grime, my mother's scent was still prominent from the room's undisturbed existance. I washed the bedding, but left her clothing were it was, only dusting the abandoned cob-webs here and there.

My hand grazed one of the chests that were once used as bedside tables and I remebered my childhood. I had greatly loved to open all of Momma's chests and examine each of her treasures. She had been all over the world, all across the nations. There were pressed flowers from Suna, scupltures from a little town deep in rock country, exotic packets from tea country , and all manner of other things that fascinate a little girl.

I found my hand opening the chest and before I could stop myself, the lid was flipped back and all the treasures I remember were settled lovingly at the bottom. However, there was something that I was certain had not been there before. I grasped the piece of paper gently and read the heading.

It said, "The Last Will and Testament of Ai Salin."


End file.
